1. Field of the Invention
A greenhouse transport system for moving plants and plant trays through a greenhouse.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Transplanting of potted plants and trees in greenhouses typically include moving plants or trees and containers onto pallets loaded onto carts transported on racks where the pallets are moved from the carts onto the rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,758 shows an apparatus for handling plants within a greenhouse where the plants and containers are loaded upon pallets which in turn are placed on wheeled carts and moved to supporting racks within the greenhouse. The pallets are then transferred from the carts to the racks. The carts and racks include parallel roller tracks spaced at a predetermined distance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,992 disclosed an apparatus for carrying plants to a watering station ensuring that the plants are uniformly exposed to light including at least one conveyor in the form of an endless cable disposed about a pair of spaced drums. One of the spaced drums is driven by a motor to cause the cable to be circulated around the drums. The cable supports a plurality of plant hangers at spaced locations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,463 shows material storage frames or rack assemblies. Each rack assembly includes vertical columns and horizontal rows of bins for the storage of material. A pair of Z-rails confront each other from opposite sides of an aisle having oppositely extending bottom flanges secured rigidly to the floor and upper flanges extending inwardly of the aisle which form guide tracks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,676 teaches a transporting arrangement, specifically suited for use in a storage rack, employing gravity-urged wheel-supported buggies for storing and transporting goods. The wheel-supported buggies are supported on elongated rails having flat support surfaces for engagement with buggy wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,693,661 shows a connecting elevator for serving, handling or working units which operate on mine benches of different level comprising a supporting structure carrying a hoisting equipment supported, at least at its upper end for travelling on a bench with the hoisting equipment including hoisting vessels running on rails and suspended from ropes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,129 discloses a loader-unloader and storage system for loads such as cargo containers or trailers. The device includes a lift frame with forks or hooks to engage a load. A frame is pivotally secured on a plurality of parallel crank arms each mounted to rotate on a vertical pivot to form a parallelogram linkage. The parallel crank arms are supported on wheels that run on a circular track concentric under each parallel crank arm. The track has slopes to lift and lower the parallel crank arms together according to the rotary position of the parallel crank arms and track to transfer loads to or from a vehicle having side latches coupled to the forks, the frame or the load.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,059 teaches a garment device including a drive and support assembly located between joints above a closet ceiling. The assembly includes a switch controlled electric motor, a gear reduction box and a drive shaft rotatably carried in a sleeve member attached to the assembly
U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,297 teaches a moveable cart for transporting structures configured for mounting upon a wall rail. The cart includes a roller linkage assembly pivotally mounted to a wheeled frame and a deck mounted on a linkage assembly. The deck is engaged by the rollers of the linkage assembly so that the vertical position of the deck can be moved with regard to the wall rail, allowing a modular cell structure placed on the deck to be carried upward of downward.